The St. Johns herald., 1887-03-03
; MYSTERY AND DELUsIoN.
Something About Seances-A New Ghost
 Story Parlor Entertainment

Spirit seances are likely to puzzle. I cannot explain how at the only one ever attended the medium gave me so accurate an obituary history of my relatives and friends.
 It was in West Forty-sixth street. The house vas pretentiously furnished. I was ushered into small reception room hung with curtains, which was half of the front room, the other half being utilized as hallway leading to the center vcstibule. The back room vas the parlor, and extended to the width and depth Of tho house.
 l. t..is there were several people rstleuLly awaiting opportunities IJ ii- tsrF:ex relatives Gho Led "Cone bef.p-n."
 The medium was midAle-agcd and very pale lady who had just risen from q bel of sickness. When sho finally went into trance condition she had thc appearance of corpse.
 had made up my mind to ask no questions, and so she did all the talking, which occupied fully three-quarters of an hour.
 WIS seated in a very comfortable e&1v chair with the medium closely vis- avis in another. I WIS presented to her merely as a friend of mine, and l am satisfied that she did not identity me.
 She presaeed her celestial conlmunica- lions NiCh an expression of full belief in epiritualism, and the statement that she was ignorant while in trance condition Of what she was imparting.
 She begged that would go eventual fv to another medium to compare notes for confirmation of the desire of my spirit friends to talk to me, and see if might not get the same messages. In moment she took my hands In hers and gracefully sunk back and Into . trance.
 Sae possessed @ good deal of magnet ism, for the touch of her fingers pro- duecd a pricking sensation, as if 1 were boidin2 tho handles of en electric battery.
 must confess that was greatly sur prised at her familiarity with tho names of ny dead relatives and Gcquaintances, while her descriptions were very ac- cu=atc and messages quite as l would anticipate from those she declared were surrounding Us.
 I was taught in my boyhood days wherever l saw ghost to investigate 1t. ! udfO dAhdJo AOhS SN NAJ profit.
 saw ore at 2:30 o'clock one stormy night last July. know tho exact mo- ment. for I Eave in my room 0 clock that strikes the half hours on gong with decp, far-away sound.
 It struck like the toll of tho Greenwood bell as tho apparition caught my eye, and at tAe same time the heavens, that wcrc black as crGpc, were illum- mated with the glare of flash of lightning, and a erowl of thunder rIirhIe mournfully overhead. Other w.sc all was cpprcsslvely quiet.
 1 wss lying in bed. The windows were oren and the shades drawn up, and there, right over in the corner in tho doorway leading 10 the back room and in tho direct line of my vision, stood palpable, vcrtable ghost ly figure, waving its extended arms.
 I'm liko small gambler. l love a sure thin, and here, after all my weary waiting, like the oldN maid who for forty years looked under her hel for G man. 1 WAS at last happily successful.
 was quite alone-that is, VIC were quito alono. My family was in tho and I lad this terrible ex- pcr!cnco ell to myself. I was afraid 10 striko a match, for its brimstolo fumes would have been too suG- ycstivo.
 Tho moro I watched tho noiscless in- truder the worSe 1t grew to my startled l think that l first re- peated Now I lay me-" anu gaining courage from the simple prayer madc bold 10 get up.
 As I approached the doorway the ghost vanished went nearer, and for three painfully long minutes awaited its return.
 Then thought that would go to bed again, and as I turned saw that the gaslight from tho avenue reflected upon my body, and noticed that the wind waved tho branches of tho trees in front of the house.
 While stood just where had made the discovery thero was no ghost in the doorway with beckoning gestures, but when went on ard got Into bed it had  Smiling at my credulity I sank into a peaccful slumber and didn't even dream of dead and gone Gus Fenno.
 was witne; s quite recently to a cur ious bit in parlOr entertainment at the house of a friend.
 The host, who was man O. good size and weight, laid himself at full length upon the carpet. Six gentlemen, three on either side, put merely tue tips of their fingers under him end then all in concert took a full breath. This was repeated but three or four times whom the body of the prostra,e man was lifted as if it were but of rub Der and inflated with air.. This experiment does not require ex1crk skill. and commend it as novelty in the way of home amuse- ment. FCorpulent fathers may not like the position, but they must remember that. it will so please the children,-lN. '. Times.
 N-;-l,A r;vos h, Cstro